Gordon Dalziel has weighed in on the ongoing debate regarding Maik Nawrocki’s exclusion from the starting XI in favour of Auston Trusty.
Dalziel believes Trusty is a better defender but did question whether he is better on the ball than Nawrocki.
With Nawrocki hardly putting a foot wrong in his Celtic career, he has at times been plagued with injuries. However, Trusty has a sizable £6 million price tag and hasn’t lived up to that in recent months, leading to calls for Brendan Rodgers to start Nawrocki.
Dalziel said: (Clyde 1 Superscoreboard), “I don’t think the lad (Maik Nawrocki) has done a lot wrong. I think he was the only plus against Rangers at Celtic Park that day.
“But I look at Brendan Rodgers. He thinks his two best centre-halves are Carter-Vickers and Trusty.
“I tell you what, and I would agree 100%, Trusty going forward with the ball, he doesn’t fill you with the greatest of confidence. He likes to stop a lot, come back and then play the easy one, as if to say ‘somebody else go and take that responsibility’.
“He got hooked at Hampden (League Cup final) in the first half. I was watching, where we were sitting, and Brendan Rodgers was having a real go at him by saying, ‘you need to be more positive’.
“But I think Trusty, defending-wise, is a very, very good defender. But Brendan Rodgers wants more to his game now.”
However, Scales himself can be caught out on the ball, and this is where Nawrocki fits in. He looks more assured and composed, leading to a number of Celtic supporters calling for him to return to the starting XI.
Nawrocki has endured a tough time at Celtic, but it appears that he should be given one more chance to prove himself. Even though he is a right-footed defender playing on the left-hand side, he’s proven that it isn’t an obstacle for him.
